Synthia Barakat
Pronouns:
Research Mentor(s): Kira Birditt
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Institute for Social Research / Other
Program:
Authors:
Session: Session 5: 2:40 pm – 3:30 pm
Poster: 33
Abstract
Objectives: Chronic stress is a prevalent issue among caregivers of individuals with memory problems, such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Chronic stress adversely affects cardiovascular health outcomes. However, there is limited research on the extent to which there are gender differences among caregivers in the experience of chronic stress and its implications for heart outcomes. This research addresses this crucial gap by examining the effects of chronic stress on daily heart rate variability (HRV). Lower HRV is considered a sign of poor cardiovascular health. Methods: Participants were from the SWEL CARE Study which includes 154 ADRD (17.5% male, 82.5% female) caregivers who completed a baseline interview regarding chronic stress and a daily component that included an ambulatory monitoring device that assessed HRV for 5 days. Chronic stress included stressors such as ongoing relationship problems with close friends and family, financial strain, work difficulties, and housing problems. Results: Analyses revealed that higher levels of chronic stress were associated with lower HRV. These associations also varied by the gender of the caregiver. Specifically, women displayed a stronger negative correlation between chronic stress and HRV, indicating an increased sensitivity to stress-related cardiovascular changes. Discussion: The study highlights gender-specific impacts of chronic stress on cardiovascular health, with women more adversely affected. Future research could focus on understanding these disparities and testing gender-specific stress reduction interventions to improve caregivers’ cardiovascular well-being. The findings suggest a critical need for healthcare providers to implement gender-specific support and interventions for caregivers, and in turn addressing the higher cardiovascular risks among female caregivers due to chronic stress. This approach could significantly enhance caregivers’ health outcomes and reduce the gender disparity in stress-related cardiovascular effects.
